Romans 3:27-31 — Merely knowing the truth will not save anyone. The Jews are a vivid example of this desperate condition as they often they prided themselves as God’s chosen people and thus did not need Paul’s teachings. However, Paul shows that boasting in works or heritage will do nothing in terms of one’s salvation. Salvation is open to all people, yet there is nothing that one actually does that merits salvation; it is truly only by the work of the Lord. It may seem that Paul has been repeating the same statements several times in the previous chapters of this epistle, and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones adds that this is because the message is crucial and because of sin, the truth does not always appear right away to those who are listening. In this sermon on Romans 3:27–31 titled “Boasting Excluded,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones also shows that all are guilty of boasting. Sometimes a Christian may say that their faith or works are the reason they receive salvation, but that is wrong. One’s faith is merely the instrument by which they receive salvation, and their works are merely the outward expression of the work of the Lord. The Christian should be very mindful that their faith is not only intellectual or a belief; it must be a true element of trust and commitment in their lives.
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The Vindication of God
Romans 3:25-26 — Perhaps no other theme is preached more often in evangelical churches than the cross of Christ. Evangelical Christians regularly sing songs and hymns of God’s love and specifically of the forgiveness found only at Calvary. What could be wrong with this? In this sermon from Romans 3:25–26 titled “The Vindication of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on the cross of Christ in great detail. Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses that it is not so much what is said about the cross of Christ, but what is often neglected. Evangelical Christians must never neglect the full doctrine of the atonement. They must not forget that the cross of Christ not only displays the love of God but also the justice of God. The atonement of Christ is where God indicates His holy name. At Calvary, the wrath of God is poured out against sin and the righteousness of God is vindicated. Listen to this sermon on vindication by Dr. Lloyd-Jones on an often neglected attribute of God and see how God’s character is much more than love; He is also just and righteous.
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The Blood of Jesus Christ
Romans 3:25 — The Old Testament proclaims the need for a savior. Even the Jews knew to look for a messiah. By saying “in his blood,” Paul is alluding to the Old Testament practice of animal sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. Prior to Christ’s sacrifice, believers would have to sacrifice a clean animal in order for their sins to be blotted out. The blood of the animal is what deemed their sins forgiven, meaning that the death of the animal was necessary. The term “blood” is used to bring this teaching in line with the whole teaching of the Old Testament. In this sermon about “The Blood of Jesus Christ” from Romans 3:25, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds that any interpretation of the New Testament should never contradict the teaching of the Old Testament. In contrast, Paul is now saying that blood means life rather than death. Since the Jews only thought of life in regards to a body, Christ’s sacrifice now shows that the blood He poured out means life. The Jews had to find an animal to be their substitute, but now God Himself has made Christ the substitute once and for all. In this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages rejoicing in the blood of Christ because He has paid the ransom.
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Propitiation
Romans 3:25 — Jesus saves sinners, but how are they redeemed in Christ and why did it have to happen in that way? In Romans 3:25, Paul says that God was a “propitiation” for our sins in order to declare His righteousness to the sinner. In the sermon titled “Propitiation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that this word means to appease and avert anger or wrath. The cross of Jesus Christ was needed to appease God’s wrath. Propitiation implies four things: an offense to be taken away, an offended person who needs to be pacified, a guilty person, and a sacrifice of atonement for the offense. Also in this message, Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns about various translations of the Bible. Many who have translated this specific passage have misplaced the word “propitiation” with “expiation,” giving the verse a completely different context. This happens because personal prejudices can sway the translations. In either case, it is to be clear that without propitiation, the Lord cannot have a personal relationship with a person when there is sin present. This is the reason that Christ had to be the ultimate sacrifice to pay the atonement for sins.
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By Free Grace Alone
Romans 3:24 — Just as a prisoner needs to pay a price to obtain freedom, sinners also need to pay a ransom for freedom. However, the Lord in His kindness has paid the price and given freedom to the Christian. In this sermon titled “By Free Grace Alone,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches from Romans 3:24 and breaks the verse into three parts: the reminder of what salvation really is, how salvation becomes the Christian’s, and how it is possible for God to do this for His people. In this verse, Paul explains free justification by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Because of that work, the Christian has been declared righteous. This does not mean that they are currently righteous, but that the Lord has deemed them so. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the present tense of the word “justifying” means that Christians are currently being justified. The listener is reminded that this salvation is a free gift to all, both Jew and Gentile. While the law reveals sin, God’s grace gives a free pardon. This is only possible because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The term used here is the same term as a prisoner being set free and Christ has set His people free from the slavery of sin.
The MLJ Trust presents original audio recordings of the sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981). Dr. Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture. Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John.
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